Ramsar Sites In India (Total-75), 11 New Ramsar Sites Added, Check Lastest List Here

Safalta Expert Published by: Deepesh Mehra Updated Tue, 15 Aug 2023 02:38 PM IST

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Looking for the list of Ramsar Sites in India. Get to know about Ramsar Conventions, the latest edition to Ramsar List and other details here at Safalta.com.

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List of Ramsar Sites in India: There are a total of 75 Ramsar Sites in India. Together, these Ramsar Sites span a vast expanse of 1,326,677 hectares throughout the country. On the 1st of February 1982, India formally joined the Ramsar Convention, demonstrating its commitment to the global initiative aimed at safeguarding wetlands. Individuals preparing for examinations should possess comprehensive knowledge about the compilation, importance, legal standing, and objectives of Ramsar Sites. A Ramsar site denotes a wetland region of global significance as identified by the 'Ramsar Convention' or the 'Convention on Wetlands'. Read this article to know more about Ramsar Sites and related detais.

Source: safalta.com

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List of 11 New Wetlands Added as Ramsar sites

 Name of wetland   Area in Ha  State
Tampara Lake 300 Odisha
 Hirakud Reservoir 65400 Odisha
Ansupa Lake  231 Odisha
Yashwant Sagar  822.90 Madhya Pradesh
Chitrangudi Bird Sanctuary 260.47   Tamil Nadu
Suchindram Theroor Wetland Complex 94.23 Tamil Nadu
Vaduvur Bird Sanctuary 112.64 Tamil Nadu
Kanjirankulam Bird Sanctuary  96.89 Tamil Nadu
Thane Creek 6521.08 Maharashtra
Hygam Wetland Conservation Reserve  801.82 Jammu and Kashmir
Shallbugh Wetland Conservation Reserve  1675 Tamil Nadu
The total area of 11 sites 76316  
 
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Table of Contents

  1. What Are Ramsar Sites 

  2. List of Ramsar Sites in India
  3. Recently Added Ramsar Sites
  4. Important Facts Related to Ramsar Sites
  5. Three Pillars of Ramsar Sites
  6. 'IOP' to the Ramsar Sites

What Are  Ramsar Sites 

Ramsar sites are wetland sites listed under the Ramsar Convention which aims to conserve these sites. The Ramasar Convention entered into force in the year of 1971 via the International Treaty for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Wetlands and was signed on 2 nd of February at a city in Iran called Ramsar. This year the World Wetlands Day, observed on February 2, celebrates the convention's adoption. Currently, there are approximately 175 parties to the convention. India Ratified the Convention on 1 February 1982. In 2018, there were 2,331 Ramsar sites on the list of wetlands of international significance, totalling more than 2.1 million square kilometres (810,000 sq mi). United Kingdom (175 sites) and Mexico (142 sites) are the nations with the most sites. With over 148,000 square kilometres of designated wetlands, Bolivia is the nation with the largest area (57,000 sq mi).
 

List Of Ramasar Sites In India

Ramsar Convention is an international effort to protect, conserve and ensure wise use of wetlands across the nations. Ramsar Convention is a nonlegal voluntary convention, that operates in close cooperation with the UN but is not part of the UN architecture. Ramasar Convention mandates two lists of wetlands i.e. - wetlands of International Importance and Wetlands Under the Montreux Record. Montreux Record refers to those wetlands where changes in ecological character have occurred, are occurring, or are likely to occur as a result of technological developments, pollution, or other human interference. There are two wetlands under Montreux Record as of now they are - Keoladeo Lake Rajasthan and Loktek Lake Manipur. The important thing to note is that- Rmasar also covers transboundary wetlands and the National Wetland Management Program identifies wetlands based on Ramsar Conventriosn Criteria.

Other Ramsar Sites In India 
Ramsar Sites in India State 
Sultanpur National Park Haryana
Bhindawas Wildlife Sanctuary Haryana
Thol Lake Wildlife Sanctuary Gujarat
Wadhvana Wetland Gujarat
Ashtamudi Wetland Kerala
Beas Conservation Reserve Punjab
Bhitarkanika Mangroves Odisha
Bhoj Wetlands Madhya Pradesh
Chandra Taal Himachal Pradesh
Chilika Lake Odisha
Deepor Beel Assam
East Kolkata Wetlands West Bengal
Harike Wetlands Punjab
Hokera Wetland Jammu & Kashmir
Kanjli Wetland Punjab
Keoladeo National Park Rajasthan
Keshopur-Miani Community Reserve Punjab
Kolleru lake Andhra Pradesh
Loktak lake Manipur
Nalsarovar Bird sanctuary Gujarat
Nandur Madhameshwar Maharashtra
Nangal Wildlife Sanctuary Punjab
Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary Uttar Pradesh
Parvati Agra Bird Sanctuary Uttar Pradesh
Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary Tamil Nadu
Pong Dam lake Himachal Pradesh
Renuka lake Himachal Pradesh
Ropar Wetland Punjab
Rudrasagar Lake Tripura
Saman Bird Sanctuary Uttar Pradesh
Samaspur Bird Sanctuary Uttar Pradesh
Sambhar lake  Rajasthan
Sandi Bird Sanctuary Uttar Pradesh
Sarsai Nawar Jheel Uttar Pradesh
Sasthamkotta lake Kerala
Surinsar- Mansar lakes Jammu & Kashmir
Tsomoriri Ladakh
Upper Ganga river Uttar Pradesh
Vembanad Kol Wetland Kerala
Wular lake Jammu & Kashmir
Sunderban Wetland West Bengal
Asan Barrage Uttarakhand
Kanwar Lake or Kabal Taal Bihar
Lonar Lake Maharashtra
Sur Sarovar Uttar Pradesh
Tso Kar Wetland Complex Ladakh
Haiderpur wetland Uttar Pradesh
Khijadia Wildlife Sanctuary   Gujrat 
Bakhira Wildlife Sanctuary Uttarpradesh 
Pichavaram Mangrove  Tamil Nadu
Sakhya Sagar   Madhya Pradesh
Pallikarni Marsh   Chennai- TN
Pala Wetland Mizoram 
Karikili Bird Sanctuary  Tamil Nadu

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Recently Added Ramsar Sites 

  1. Latest Addition to Ramasar Sites:
  1. Other Ramsar Sites Added in 2022:
    1. Bakhira Wildlife Sanctuary- Bakhira Wildlife Sanctuary, located in the Sant Kabir Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh, provides a safe and favorable winter habitat for a large number of Central Asian bird species.
    2. Khijadia Wildlife Sanctuary - Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary is a bird sanctuary located in Jamnagar district of Gujarat, India. About 300 species of migratory birds have been recorded here. In 2022, on World Wetlands Day it was declared as a Ramsar site
    3. Haiderpur wetland- Uttar Pradesh - Haiderpur wetland is a UNESCO Ramsar site located near the Bijnor Ganga Barrage within the Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary in Uttar Prades

 
  1. Ramsar Site Added  in India in August 2021
    1. Sultanpur National Park – Gurugram, Haryana
    2. Bhindawas Wildlife Sanctuary – Jhajjar, Haryana
    3. Thol Lake Wildlife Sanctuary – Near Ahmedabad, Gujarat
    4. Wadhvana Wetland – Vadodara, Gujarat
  2. Ramsar Sites Added in India in 2020
    1. December 2020 – The Tso Kar Wetland Complex was added to the list of Ramsar sites in India. 
    2. November 2020 – Maharashtra – Lonar Lake
    3. November 2020 – Agra (Uttar Pradesh) – Sur Sarovar also called, Keetham Lake
    4. November 2020 – Uttarakhand – Asan Barrage
    5. July 2020 – Bihar – Kanwar Lake or Kabal Taal
    6. February 2020 – Kolkata – Sunderban Reserve Forest (Sunderban Wetlands)
 

Important Facts Related To Ramsar Sites 

  1.  India signed the convention on 1st February 1982.
  2. There are a total of 49 Ramsar Sites in India [Latest]
  3. Chilika Lake (Orissa) and Keoladeo National Park (Rajasthan) were recognized as the first Ramsar Sites of India.
  4. Renuka Wetland (Area – 20 ha) in Himachal Pradesh is the smallest wetland of India.
  5. Uttar Pradesh has the most number of Ramsar Sites in India. It has 10 Wetlands under Ramsar List.
  6. The United Kingdom has the world’s largest number of Ramsar Sites i.e. 175.
  7. February 2 is celebrated as International Wetlands Day- 2nd February 2021 marked the 50th anniversary of the Ramsar Convention.
 

Three Pillars Of Ramasar Sites

 “Three pillars” of the Convention, the Contracting Parties commit to:

  • work towards the wise use of all their wetlands;
  • designate suitable wetlands for the list of Wetlands of International Importance (the “Ramsar List”) and ensure their effective management;
  • cre ooperate internationally on transboundary wetlands, shared wetland systems, and shared species.

Most Important Ramsar Sites Other Than Sites In News 
 

Ramsar Sites State Significance
Ashtamudi Wetland Kerala The fifth largest site in India, 2nd largest in Kerala. The rivers Kallada and Pallichal drain into it. It forms an estuary with the sea at Neendakara which is a famous fishing harbour
Bhitarkanika Mangroves Orissa The site’s Gahirmatha beach is said to host the largest known Olive Ridley sea turtle nesting beach in the world. the highest density of saltwater crocodiles in the country. Higher mangrove biodiversity than Sundarbans
Bhoj Wetland Madhya Pradesh Kolans river passes through. It consists of two lakes located in the city of Bhopal, the capital of Madhya Pradesh. The two lakes are the Bhojtal (Upper Lake) and the Lower Lake, which lie to the west of the city centre.
Chandertal Wetland Himachal Pradesh Snow leopards, Red Fox found.- A high altitude lake on the upper Chandra valley flowing to the Chenab River of the Western Himalayas (4,337 m asl) near the Kunzam pass joining the Himalayan and Pir Panjal ranges.
Chilika Lake Orissa Saltwater lake. Irrawaddy dolphins found- A brackish water lagoon, spread over the districts of Puri, Khordha and Ganjam on the east coast of India, at the mouth of the Daya River, flowing into the Bay of Bengal, covering an area of over 1,100 km2.
Deepor Beel Assam Suffers from infestation by water hyacinth- A permanent freshwater lake in a former channel of the Brahmaputra River. It is of great biological importance and also essential as the only major storm water storage basin for the city of Guwahati. 
East Calcutta Wetlands West Bengal It uses the city’s wastewater and utilises the treated water for pisciculture and agriculture.- World-renowned as a model of a multiple use wetland, the site's resource recovery systems, developed by local people through the ages, have saved the city of Kolkata from the costs of constructing and maintaining waste water treatment plants.
Harike Lake & Bird sanctury Punjab Migratory ducks, geese, swans- A shallow water reservoir with thirteen islands, at the confluence of two rivers. Dense floating vegetation covers 70% of the lake. It is an important site for breeding, wintering and staging birds, supporting over 200,000  ducks, geese, swans, etc. during migration.
Hokera Wetland J&K Waterfowl bird species- ocated in the northwest Himalayan biogeographic province of Kashmir, on the back of the snow-draped Pir Panchal (1,584 m asl), Hokera Wetland is only 10 km from scenic paradise of Srinagar. 
Kanjli Punjab Kali Bein stream associated with Guru Nanak Saheb
Keoladeo National Park Rajasthan Also a bird sanctuary here. invasive growth of the grass Paspalum distichum negatively affected Siberian Cranes.
Kolleru Lake Andhra Natural Eutrophic Lake between Godavari and Krishna rivers.
Loktak Lake Manipur The largest freshwater lake in the north-eastern region of the country, which is famous for the phumdis (heterogeneous mass of vegetation, soil, and organic matters at various stages of decomposition) floating over it. Keibul Lamjao, the only floating national park in the world, floats over it.
Nalsarovar lake and Bird Sanctury Gujarat Lapwing, Sarus Crane bird, Wild ass
Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary Tamil Nadu Greater and Lesser Flamingos
Pong Dam Lake Himachal Pradesh Dam on Beas river
Renuka Wetland Himachal Pradesh Area wise smallest. Giri river. Renuka was Hindu sage Parshuram’s mother.
Ropar Punjab Humanmade wetland using Sutlej River
Rudrasagar Lake Tripura Gomti river. IUCN redlisted Three-striped Roof Turtle Kachuga dhongka.
Sambhar Lake Rajasthan Saline Lake. Flamingos
Sasthamkotta Lake Kerala Largest freshwater lake of Kerala. a larva called “cavaborus” abounds and eliminates bacteria in the water, hence water is exceptionally pure
Surinsar-Mansar Lakes Jammu, Kashmir State Rainfed without permanent discharge. Fishing is discouragd due to Hindu significance from Mahabharat period.
Tsomoriri Eastern Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir the only breeding ground outside of China for Black necked crane. Tibetan wildass also found. Korzok Buddhist monastery.
Upper Ganga River Uttar Pradesh IUCN Red listed Ganges River Dolphin, Gharial, Crocodile
Vembanad-Kol Wetland Kerala State Area wise largest
Wular Lake Jammu & Kashmir State Largest freshwater lake of India.

What is known as a Ramsar site?

A Ramsar Site is any wetland area that has been designated by the Ramsar Convention with the goal of preserving it and promoting the sustainable exploitation of its natural resources.
The Ramsar Sites are named after the Iranian city of Ramsar, where the International Treaty for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Wetlands was signed on February 2, 1971.

Ramsar Convention

  1. The Ramsar Convention, also known as the Convention on Wetlands, was created in 1971 and entered into force in 1975 after being accepted by UNESCO.
  2. The Ramsar Convention has 171 contracting parties.
  3. On February 1st, 1982, India signed the Ramsar Convention


International organization partners

The Ramsar Convention works closely with six other organisations known as international organization partners (IOPs). These are:
  • BirdLife International
  • International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
  • International Water Management Institute (IWMI)
  • Wetlands International
  • WWF International
  • Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT)
These groups assist the convention's work by offering knowledgeable technical counsel, assisting with the execution of field research, and contributing funding. Additionally, the IOPs regularly participate in all parties' conferences as observers and full members of the Scientific and Technical Review Panel.

Also read:

Facts about Ramsar sites

  1. One of the largest protected areas in the world is the Ramsar sites.
  2. In the entire world, there are 2,414 Ramsar sites, totalling 254,543,971.597 hectares.
  3. The first Ramsar site was discovered in 1974. (Cobourg Peninsula; Australia).
  4. The United Kingdom has the most Ramsar sites in the world, with 175 total.
  5. International Wetlands Day is observed on February 2.
  6. These locations are kept up in Montreux. Keep a record of any significant ecological changes that might have a good or negative impact on any of the wetland habitats.

'IOP' To The Ramsar Sites 


Convention works with the collaboration of the following organizations:
  1. International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
  2. Birdlife International.
  3. International Water Management Institute (IWMI).
  4. Wetlands International.
  5. WWF International
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FAQ Ramsar Sites

Ramsar Sites in India & Indian Wetlands

What are Ramsar Sites? A Ramsar site is a wetland site designated to be of international importance under the Ramsar Convention, also known as "The Convention on Wetlands".
When was Ramsar Convention Signed?  It was framed in 1971 by UNESCO and came into force in 1975. 
Is India a part of the Ramsar Convention? Yes, India is a party to the Ramsar Convention.
When did India Sign Ramsar Convention? India signed under it on 1st February 1982.
How many Ramsar Sites are in India? There are 49 Ramsar Sites in India [Latest]
Which is the largest Ramsar Site in India? Sundarbans is the largest Ramsar Site of India
Which is the first Ramsar Site in India? Chilika Lake (Orissa) and Keoladeo National Park (Rajasthan) were recognized as the first Ramsar Sites of India
Which Indian state has the most number of Ramsar Sites? Uttar Pradesh has the most number of Ramsar Sites in India. It has 10 Indian Wetlands.
Which is the smallest wetland in India? Renuka Wetland (Area – 20 ha) in Himachal Pradesh is the smallest wetland of India.
Which Country has the largest number of Ramsar Sites? United Kingdom (175)
 

 

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What is Ramsar conevtion?

The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands.

When did Ramsar Convention enter into force?

Ramsar Convention was signed in 2 February 1971. It entered into force on 21 December 1975.

What are the IOP's to the Ramsar Convention?

The following organisations are IOP'S to the Convention:
  1. International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
  2. Birdlife International.
  3. International Water Management Institute (IWMI).
  4. Wetlands International.
  5. WWF International

How many Ramsar sites are in India?

India has a total of 75 Ramsar sites.

In which state highest number of Ramsar sites located?

Till August 2022, Tamil Nadu, with 14 Wetlands, has the highest number of Ramsar Sites in India.

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